June 2016 Blog Posts (4)

My schedule through the week and weekend has its daily ritual of reading the morning paper with toasted bagel and coffee at the neighbourhood java shop. In addition to getting my news fix, the quiet time sets me up for the day. Sometimes, friends and acquaintances drop by my table to say “hi” and then leave me be. Today, an acquaintance sat down facing me, eyed my bagel, and said she would order one too. My newspaper was not yet open and I looked at it furtively –…

Try not to quarrel with your mother, fight with your brother, criticize the waiter, call out your co-worker, blame the weather, swear at the neighbour down the street, rebuke the bank clerk, reject consensus, oppose newcomers to your country, disparage the government, lament the cost of living, wish for the good ole days, shake your fist at the way things are,… simply face the core of all this unrest. Call it for what it is - fear, and banish it from your heart. …

Those of us who serve others by helping them be healthier and happier – and I include myself in this group – look to fulfill our life purpose with dedication and perseverance. This single-minded focus is a serious commitment that can easily exclude that 3-letter word “fun”. When someone asked me, “What do you do for fun?” I was stymied and had no ready answer at the time. Since that question was asked (and it’s been more than once), I’ve realized it’s important…

How do you feel when someone gives you an unexpected gift? A little shy, embarrassed perhaps, flustered, perhaps even self-conscious that someone would have thought to remember you on an occasion other than your birthday? People really do like to feel wanted and cared for. Yet when an expression of caring comes our way, there’s an initial response to minimize or deflect it away as unimportant – as if we’re not meant to have this kind of abundance. Next time…